Sotto reelected as the President of the Senate

On Monday, Senate President Vicente Sotto III maintained his position as Senate President as the majority of senators voted for him at the beginning of the 18th Congress.

Twenty-two senators were present at the opening of the meeting. Absent were Senators Leila de Lima, who is detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center, and Manny Pacquiao, who is still in Las Vegas after his boxing victory against thurman.

Voting was performed through viva voce where those in favor of electing Sotto screamed “aye.” Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said Senators Risa Hontiveros and Francis Pangilinan abstained from voting.

In nominating Sotto, Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said the latter had a lengthy and achieved legislative career that was marked by countless elections as leader of both minority and majority.

Zubiri stated that no one is more acquainted with the Senate’s ways than Sotto.

He added that it has been an amazing 27 years since the Filipino people first appointed Sen. Sotto to be their champion in the Senate, and since then he has shown his unwavering dedication to restore that confidence in the form of strong legislative measures to uplift people’s life.

They believe that whatever difficulties the Senate confronted as a body, Sotto always showed them a way through. His decision-making strategy is both firm and comprehension, fair to the interests not of any political party but of the Filipino people.

His hard work and discipline as the steadfast leader set a standard for the rest of them to live up to. His shrewd decision has steered plenary meetings in the correct direction, while still allowing and indeed promoting.